Versus psalmorum, rubric, source?
  • Andrew_Malton
    Posts: 1,159
    When it comes to chanting psalm verses at the introit or communion, when the proper antiphon is used, one turns to the Versus Psalmorum et Canticorum (1962) or the Ordo Cantus Missæ (1987) or any of a number of derived works. It seems that most of the time the Versus and the Ordo agree. Probably the latter is dependent on the former, yielding the hypothesis that verse assignments post 1960 ish are all based on Versus.

    But I cannot find that the assignment of verses, or even the choice of psalm itself, is proper to the antiphon; nor that there is any rubric saying that one may only sing these verses with this antiphon; nor that there is any source in the tradition for these assignments. (Of course if the antiphon is taken from a psalm, the verses always are taken from the same. Or at least, I know no counterexample.)

    The subtitle of Versus ends “... iuxta codices antiquos” but it does not give details.

    What are the traditional (antiqui) sources of the assignment of verses to antiphons?

    To what extent is the choice of verses obligatory?
  • smvanroodesmvanroode
    Posts: 967
    This book by Anton Stingl might be interesting with regard to the sources of the communion verses: Versus ad communionem (preview with the preface and the entire register). The main source seems SG 381.
    Thanked by 3Andrew_Malton Elmar tomjaw
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,372
    Richard Chonak, our esteemed webmaster, has provided a translation of the praenotanda - https://media.musicasacra.com/pdf/ordo-cantus-missae.pdf
    note that explicitly, if the antiphon is not from a psalm, other psalms may be substituted
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen tomjaw
  • shawnk
    Posts: 57
    The Liber Usualis (1961) has the following remarks in the "Rubrics for the Chant of the Mass" section (p. xv):

    Introit: "If the priest and ministers have some way to go in the church before reaching the altar, there is no reason why several Verses of the Introit Psalm should not be sung after the Antiphon and Verse. In that case the Antiphon may be repeated after every Verse or two Verses. When the priest reaches the altar, the Psalm is if necessary interrupted at the end of a Verse, Gloria Patri is sung, and finally the Antiphon."

    Communion: "If the Antiphon is taken from a Psalm, other Verses of the same Psalm may be sung. In that case the Antiphon may be repeated after every Verse or two Verses; and when the Communion is ended Gloria patri followed by the Aniphon is sung. If the Antiphon is not taken from a Psalm, some Psalm suitable to the feast and to this part of the Mass may be chosen."
    Thanked by 2tomjaw ServiamScores
  • madorganist
    Posts: 906
    There is some pertinent information in this article:
    The oldest tradition we have evidence for in the Roman rite is the singing of Psalm 33 during Communion. Indeed, the Versus Psalmorum et Canticorum includes it as an alternative to the "proper" psalm.
    Thanked by 2tomjaw ServiamScores
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